davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26

Washington Correspondence Chicago
Inter Ocean: i was sitting in the
rooms of the civil service commission
he other day, looking over the piles of
examination papers of applicants for
positions in the executive departments,
while, in the adjoining room, there
were a dozen young men and women
anXiously working at the tasks set be-
fore them. hoping that their names
may sometime be placed upon one of
the eligible registers and sent to the
appointing officer of some department.
A very small percentage of these appli-
cants will ever have their wishes graft
fled. 1t would be a very sensible thing
for the civil service commission to
place upon the large blackboard in
front of the applicants sitting there,
the following advice which Tom Corwin,
when secretary of the treasury, gave to
a young man who came penniless from
Ohio to seek a clerkship in the govern
ment service. Mr.. Corwin said:
''My young friend, go 10 the northwest,
buy 100 acres Of government land, or
# you have not the money to purchase.
squat on it; get you an AK and mattock,
put up IA log cabin for your h%abitation,
and raise a little corn and potatoes;
keep vour conscience clear, and live
like a freeman, your W master. with
nobody 20 give you orders and with
out dependence upon anybody. DO
that and you will be honored. respect
ed, influential and rich. But accept n
clerkship here, and You sink at once
all independence, your energies be-
come relaxed, and you are untitled in
a few years for any other and more in
dependent position. may give you a
place to-day and turn YOU out again to-
morrow; and there's another man over
there at the White house who can turn
me out, and the people by and by can
turn him out, and SO we 90. But if
you Owl an acre of land il is your
kingdom, and your cabin Is your cas-
tie; you are n sovereign, and you will
feel it in every throbbing of your pulse.
and every day of your life will assure
me Of your thanks for having thus adj
vises you"
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
The Butterflies of North America.

One welcomes an old friend more
cordially than n new; so that when
Mr.. Edwards, after some hesitation,
| starts a third series of his renowned
and Incompatible illustrations of our
native butterflies, begun twenty years
ago, we are ready 10 render the full
need of praise for his unwearied en-
ergy, the success of his breeding ex-
perimcnts, and the more than liberal,
almost profuse illustrations with which
they are published. When we know,
in addition, that he has parted with a
considerable portion Of his unique coll
lection to obtain means wherewith to
launch this new series. we can only
hope he will find a public property APP
preciative of such zeal and sacrifice.
This first number is n "Reminiscences
Of the past. Two of the three plates
represent hitherto untigured species of
that wonderfully prolific boreal genus
Argynnis, n from Assiniboia, and the
other from Utah and Arizona, with
brief merely descriptive text-which
remind us especially of his first series,
where nearly seventy figures of this
genius were given. The remaining
plate gives not only the butterfly with
its variations, but also all the earlier
stages Of our Californian species of
Megonostoma Cor, Mr.. Edwards
prefers TO class it, Colias) with
many enlarged figures of minor
details, acco ppanied by a tolerably
full account Of the insect which re-
calls the m IRE definitely biological
character of the second series. To OBJ
tain the earlier stages, eggs were sent
from California to West Virginia, and
the caterpillars raised on an Amorpha,
previously sent, in Mr.. Edwards gar
den.
The text is not so full or interesting
as the later part of the last series; but
to say that the same care ms before has
been taken with the illustrations.
whether in faithfulncss of delineation
to the last detail, or in tr~uthfulness of
coloring with an absence of all gaudi-
ness, is quite enough. Nothing has
ever surpassed them; they arc n perfect
model for such work. Tie same
! artists have been connected with the
work almost from the first; and though
the chief artist, Mrs. Peart, can no
longer undertake the photography with
her own hand, they receive her careful
supervision.
We can only congratulate naturalists
on Mr.. Edwards determination TO con-
tinue publishing on the same scale as
before, and beg to remind them, that,
but for this liberality, we should hardly
have advanced in knowledge Of the
life histo les Of our butterflies beyond
what we knew when Boisduval and Lee
Conte published their little octavo-a
half century aUO.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26

Many birds make their nests in lofty
trees or on the lodges of prccipitous
ellis. OF these the eagles, vultures,
Ihey are, for the most part, says Nat
ure, too powerful ID be afraid Of the
marauding maggie. and olry fear the
attacks Of beasts of prey, among which
they doubtless classify the human race.
They rely for the safety of their eggs
on the inaccessible positions Of the
nest. Many OF them also belong to Il
still larger group of birds who rely for
the safety Of their eggs upon their own
ability, either singly, in pairs, or in
colonies, to defend them against all az
grcssors. Few colonies of birds are
more interesting than those of hcrons,
cormorants, and their respective allies.
These birds lay white or nearly white
eggs. Nature. with her customary
thrift, has lavishcd no color upon them
because, apparently, it would have
been wasted effort to do so. but the
eggs of the guillcmot are Il remarkable
exception to this rule. Few eggs are
more g~orgeously colored, and no eggs
exhibit such Il variety of color.
1t is impossible to supposethat pro-
tectiye selection can have produced
colors SO conspicuous on The white
lodges of the chalk cliffs. and sexual
selection must have been equally DOW
erlcss. 1t would be too ludicrous a
suggestion to suppose that a cock gull
lemot fell in love with II plain-colorcd
hen because he remembered that last
season she laid a ~gay-colorcd egg. 1t
cannot be accident that causes the
guilloalot's eggs to be SO handsome
and so varied. In the case of birds
breeding in holes secure from the pry-
ing eyes of the marauding magpic no
color is wasted where il il not wanted.
The more deeply nature is studied
tho more certain seems 10 be the con
clusion that all her endless variety is
the result of evolution. 1t seems also
to be more and more certain that nat
ural selection is not the cause OF evolu-
ton, but only its guide. Variation is
the cause of evolution. but the cause Of
variation is unknown.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
Railroad Construction.

Poer's Manual reports the total rail-
road construction in the United States
i'm 1886 at S,54S miles, and estimates
ina. during the present year, ''unless
some serious revulsron should occur to
reverse plans now entertained" the
construction will amount to not less
than 2 ZOO miles, causing an outlay
for labor alone exceeding 5000, 600, 900.
The construction last year was divided
among the different sections rs follows:
New England, Al miles; Middle states,
371.4S miles; Central northern group,
which includes Ohio. Michigan, Indi-
ana. Illinois and Wisconsin, 1,231.61
miles; South Atlantic group, l,10S,93
miles; Mississippi valley group, 339.5
miles; Southwestern group, 2,427.11
miles Northwestern group, 2,578.1S
miles; Pacific group, 637.75 miles.
1t is worthy of notice thas the rail
road SYSTEM of New England seems to
be complete. No new railroads were
constructed last year in the states of
Vermont. Rhode Island and Connect
cat, and in the others but forty-one
miles. While this is true of New Eng
land it is far from Icing true Of the
south. In nearly every southern state
there is remarkable activity in railroad
construction. Many new lines of very
great importance have been projected,
chartered and begun.
This is especially true of Georgia,
Tennessee, Alabama and Texas. The
outlook is that Of the 10000 miles
which Poor Manual estimates will be
constructed this year, at least half will
be in these four states. A large mum
bar OF railroads have been chartered
that will never be constructed, but they
are Of comparatively little Importance.
The policy has been to grant charters
whenever they have been asked, and
this has led to the formation of many
railroad schemes of questionable value.
But such schemes will not in any way
interfere with The construction of inn
portant lines.
1t has frequently been said that the
best evidence of progress is activity in
railroad construction. This is certainly
true in The south. The lines under con
struction have n reason for their ex-
i%steucc. The increased activity in in
dustrial pursuits, and especially in
mining and manufacturing, has caused
u demand for better railroad facilities.
Then. ia turn, the new lines stimulate
trade and naming and manufacturing,
so that there will be a union Of forces
helping the south onward and upward.
There is 40 reason to doubt that the
star of empire has indeedturncd toward
the south.-Savannah News.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26

Sam Lee, the Chinese lHundrvman,
received a shipment Of mcncntoS from
the Celestial empire the other day, and
among them were - mum Dor of .'Chin-
csc nuts" They are about the size OF
a walnut. and consists Of IA dry and
wrinkled looking pod. tho thin hull Of
which encloses a sort Of waNy fruit that
tastes very much like = d.rtc. lnshie
this waxy part, which il the edible per
ton, is "a hard seed abeat slc size "i
the kernel of a large peanut, nearN
round, with n big .oye" liko "A Sc
bean. The fruit is vory good eating.
Among the curioSitics which this
strange people exhibit il u wonderful
hanging-basket. the framework of wire.
covered with beads and flowers almost
indistinguiShable from real flowers.
The tints and the mako w, d beads and
flowers arr almost perfect. Buttersli"%
are mnlc lowering oyer some OF the
blossoms. and look p~crfcctiy natural.
The work is done in silk entirely.
The water lilies which they plant ia
glass vessels. the bulbs bong kept in
position by bits Of rock, arc very beau
tiful. Every New Years day they have
these flowers in bloom, la thcir win
dows, and a pretty sight ,hcy are. Sam
said. when i~utorrogatol. "Chincc New
Year lilies. Only stay two week. Va
come ilom China. All way flom China.
Why yon no have lilies fsr New YeaDp"
-INqNt2 Constitution.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
A Man from Duluth.

Chicago Herald: There's a sight for
YOU" said a man from Duluth, who had
glued his right eye against the keybole
of a dimly lighted tailor shop in Fifth
avenue.
mo burglars in there, is there, asked
a newsboy, who had stopped or The
sidewalk our OF curiosity.
Nav, course not" replied the man
at the keyhole.
Water pipe bust?''
Nav; hnsh yer noise"
"'Tain't "a cat, is itp'
Nav, nothing of the sort"
as it there yetP"
Course they is"
"No, goll darn it., there's five of
EN-"
This c~olloquy passed without the man
removing his eye from the hole to see
who his interrogation was.
"Let me take "A squint, will you?"
asked the boy, after a moments
silence.
Should say not; it's getting red
hot in there now" was the reply.
A big policemen came across the
street and stopped beside the boy.
What are you squirting atp"
bawled the blue-coat, in n hoarse
voice.
Rats" COLL durn it, oamo the peev-
i8h reply from the keyhole.
A blue arm as big around as a gas
main reached oct for the stranger and
caught him around the waist.
It's rats. is it, We hayseed?" roared
the officer as he yanked the stranger
into the gutter and raped him on the
head. Now, you move along as fast
as We can"
Boy and stranger met on a neigh
boring corner a few moments later.
kinder touchy bout rats here, eh?'
queried the man from Duluth. arrang-
ing his %neckwear.
Tho copper is" replied the boy.
''Well, you've got 'em here just the
same
"What?"
Rats. saw five in that shop, and
every durn one of EN- wus As bic as Il
~woodchuck, | cant see fer the life of
me why a metropolis rs big az this
place should lear up on its hind legs
jest because a Teller says there is rats
here
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
Gcrnany's Trained War Dogs.


One Of the novel feaiurc, h. means
of which Germany will defend herself
in the ''impcnding' war is . battalion
of trained dogs, which are row being
drillod by . regiment Of oilaaseurs 3
Lubben. Commenting on the value of
this new tighting-or rather. biting
power, the existence 1T which is con
iirmed in German MILITARY pul6ca-
tiOns, the Petit JOura1S advises Gen.
Boulanger To act on the principle of
~ tooth for n TOOTH" and continues.
''if the Germans continue tho cduca-
ton of their dogs, we ought. without
delay, 10 enlist n regiment of cats. and
the battles which these two hereditary
enemies will fight will lesson the mono
tony of field life" Not n bad idea
this, if only the PtH Jouv'umt would
find a means of curing the instinct Of
a cat to turn tail ut the sight of a dog
If this difficulty can bc overcome there
Is no Knowing what tho cats may not
do, for their reputation as warriors
has been great ever since Cambyses
gained his great victory over the
Egyptians by the help 81 an army Of
Egyptian cats.-PrH MAJ GazcIe.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
A Case OF Nom Recognition.

Chicago News: Mr.. Jarrett related
a little story TO me yesterday, for the
truth Of which he is rs ready AS | am
to youch. He said: Il was walking
through n corridor CT the capitol at
Washington one day with n member of
one Of the largest wholesale firms in
New York-a gentleman whose man.
ner would impress the most casual OBJ
server with his high-mindedness-
when We came upon a lady whom /
recognized as my companions wife"
why, Kate, ''said my friend. what
are you doing hereP When did you
Gomez
The lady looked in 4 puzzled man
ner ut him for a moment and said, not
M-naturedly: Il don't know you, sir
My friend looked more closely at
hor and SAID; why, Kate. what do
you m9anP'
Il saw by my friends face that he
had reached the same conclusion | had
that his wife had lost her reason.
"'Kate,' he finally burst out, for
Gods sake don't you know me, your
husbandp'
''At this the lady drew back and
looked frightened. protesting that she
never saw him before. | tried to say
something proper to the occasion. but
before | could do so my friend had
drawn a photogiaph of his wife from
his pocket and shown it to the lady,
saying, See, Kate, ! am your husband;
see thisp'
Where did you get that, sir?' said
tho lady, indignantly
IL never was so befuddled i'm my
life. | wondered if | could possibly be
dreaming all this. The lady was now
thoroughly frightened and trying to
got away, while my friend was even
more frightened, and trying TO detain
her. 1t looked as if we were going TO
make a scene; SO | drew my friend
apart and advised him to let her go
until she reached some more retired
spot. We followed her and soon saw
her point us out 10 an officer of the
senate. whom l knew very well. The
officer approached and Indignantly
asked what we mean by our conduct.
An explanation followed, and it turned
out that the lady was the wife of a very
important gentleman in Washington.
''Of course the most abject apologies
followed, and then came my friends
wife from New York to verify his
story. The two families became very
intimate. but TO this day neither hus-
band is sure when he meets one Of the
ladies anywhere, except nj home,
whether she is his wife or not.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
Questions

What. then. do those figures and
facts means? Is not tho apparent
strength of the armamcnts Of European
nations u source of weakness which is
now working at tho foundation of tho
present forms of society upon the con
tinent?
IL not our apparent weakness Che
very source of our strength?
Are we not stronger HaAoM oxpen-
sivc Notifications. navieS, and other
ornaments than we should be if we
spent our force in constructing ticms
Nav not the time bo near 1T hand
when it shall no longer be lawful for
one generation TO mortgages the labor
of the mex by any national and per-
haps by any municipal dobt? When
pay rs YOU fight becomes the rule, will
not war become almost impossible?
May not the right government of
cities be found in more strictly limit
ing the power Of cities D. towns to in
cur debts?
Has not the power Of che rim
which have plundcred our great citISu
been founded mainly in N,o abuse of
public credit? Could Tweed have
stolen the property of the people of the
city of New York had no plundcred
them by direct taXationp
These may be questions which will
soon require an answer, and which are
perhaps suggested by the figures and
the facts submitted in This treatise
E13oard atkinson, IN Cen&,sy.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
A Shocking Sensation.

Omaha Worl d.: Benevolent Lady
Oh! Mr.. Wiseman, | do wish you would
give us some advice about raising
funds for the poor. There is so much
suffering and we are utterly helpless.
Citizer-You Should solicit donations
for their relief.
1--WE have tried that; been to every
n of the congregations and not a soul
will give more than n dime or two
''Well, if they wont part with their
money or direct application try getting
up al entertainment of some sort. For
instance, have a charity ball"
"Ball! Horrors! Why, we are Chris
tians!'
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
Labor Wasted.

II notice. said y lady to y reporter
for The Ph,iodc'phin can, ,'that some
fool man has invented " collap>ing hat
Tor ladies TO wcar to pubic entertain.
mcnts. He might have s.Ayed himself
his pains. Women wusr high hats
simply because they are the fashion.
Beauty or urliness. comfort or conven-
fence have nothing 10 do with the ques-
ton. The collapsipg hat is not fash
ionablc apa that settles it. | don't
know whore our fashions come from or
who Sots them. but | know we don't.
American ONE have nothing to div
but blindly follow, and | tell you now
in MI seriousness. that all the talk ~
newspapers and the Indignation of ~
public has n done Il particle of good.
The high hats will 20 whom the fashion
changes and not Il day before"
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26

Some time ago notice was made in
these columns OF tho death OF Fred .Ior-
dan, an old Waterman employed by
the Central Railroad at Macon. Jor-
dan was a strange character. He new
er married and was very frugal and
economical IN his habits. His maiten
aunt lived witk him and kept hsHsc Tor
him. Although his salary only amount
ed TO $50 or $40 per month. ho man.
aT"l to W. enough out of il 10 pur-
cha-u. bit by bit, = los Of good real
estate in Macon. Ills administrator il
James l.. Anderson. o of Clifford
Anderson, and . few days ago tho ap-
praiscment of the properly WAS made.
the whole being rated II $500. There
are several houses in East Macon ~
one west az thc river. Although u
dan WAS very economical, he ncycr de-
MED himself any Of the good things ef
life in the eating line. Ii eggs were
40 cents aud he wanted EGGS he pur-
chased tiuln, and If early peaches sold
for 80 cene per dozen il WAS the ,!mc
tling. lie attended strictly to his own
business and amasscd Il competence
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
He Saw How II Was.

Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle; .A:farmer
hearing that money vas cheap in the
city, came to see about it. He ENTERED
n bank. called for the cashier. and said
'Mr. Cashier, is it true that money is
abundant and cheapP"
The cashier answered in the afirma-
tive.
:'Can / get somep" queried the coun.
tryman.
"Certainly,' replied the m~oneyed
a
"Well, just lend me d hundred dol
lars for six months
The cashier said: You can have
the money-wc have plenty of it-but
it is necessary for us to have collat-
eral."
The farmer WINGED and responded:
Collateral! What the deuce is thatp'
The matter was explained. Then
the planter of the soil. illuminated on
the subject OF political economy, with
a broad grin rejoined: .'Ah. | see how
it is, Mr. Cashier. Money is plentiful
and not high. but it is this BANKED
collateral that is scarce and hard To
geti'
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
A Good Story on a Hostess.

Baltimore Sun: A good story is told
Of a hostess at Il recent fashionable
luncheon. She ordered to be placed
among the table decorations n set of
salts of exceedingly handsome and
novel design, which. coming from "A
very dear friend, were among the most
highly priced of her wedding gifts
One of the servants placed the name
cards against them. One of the guests,
after admiring the salt, and, supposing
from the card resting against it, that it
was intended as u favor, took it up and
put it in her pocket, and most of the
other guests, one by enc, followed her
example, while the dismayed hostess,
utterly unable to understand the mean
ing of such proceedings, looked on in
speechless surprise. When her guests
departed she counted her treasures,
and found that she had but two left.
The next day came the explanation. A
polite note was received from q lady
who had been present, saying she had
neglected to take favor, mentioning it
and asking the hostess to kindly send
it. 1t was sent
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
Adjourned the Bear Hunt.

Harper's Bazaar: Amy bear about
this neighborhoodp" he inquired as he
leaned an eight hundred dpllar breech
loader carelessly in the hollow of his
arm.
The woods is full Of EN- said a
citizen. "One of 'em bit my brothers
leg off Yesterday. Are ye loaded fer
bar, mistrp'
"No, SIR" replied the young man.
hastily boarding the train; I'm only
loaded for rabbits
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
Hc Was SkVed.

New York Sun: Young Lady (to
young artist i think your painting is
just heavenly, Charley.
Young Artist gazing sadly upward)
Yes, it's as near heaven as the hang
ing committee could get it.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26

Philadelphia Cali: Mrs. ~Bagley--I
cant understand what you see in Jur-
kins to mako a friend of him.
Baglcy-Ah. you don't know him.
Susan! A man of remarkable acumen.
bright and witty, and a perfect gentle
mar when he is in the humor.
Mrs. B.-Thcn why don't you bring
him around here when be is sober?
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26

A teacher in % San Francisco pubic
school was informed by a lawyer J.. ,
p. m. that she was heir to 500, 600.
He expected to hear her whoop and to
see her grab a bonnet and ran. but in
stead of that she calmly replied: Il will
lear the class in geography, lick three
boys. and be III Your Office in IN hour"
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26
A Poet But no Letter Writer.

London World: A gentleMan GEEK
ing advice about his literary work
wrote to consult T~ennyson. and got no
answer. He wrote again and again,
until twenty letters had been sent. AT
length came this reply: Dear sir
1t is q fact, alas, but no fancy. that
half my letters are unopened"
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26

plain skirts viii be the ruls the coming
season, with very Ion. aud full draperies ia
the oyerdress.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26

-Heelless slippers OF scarlet velvet are the
latest for house wear. and offer greet tempta-
lions for kicking them OIL.
Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-03-26

Several bead of cattle have recently died
IN the vicinity of Lewiston Idahe, fron star
walton.